Music by the river
There is something magical about hearing classical music by the river. Two riverside retreats, Taj Corbett Resort & Spa and The Riverview retreat, are hosting Ragas By The River, by the Kosi, featuring a mix of thumris, instrumental music and ghazals. Some of the maestros participating include vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan, double Grammy winner Rakesh Chaurasia, and tabla player Satyajit Talwalkar. There’s an evening of ghazals by Hariharan. One of the highlights is a performance by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, followed by a jugalbandi between Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash. At The Riverview Retreat and Taj Corbett Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand, till 16 March. Details on ragasbytheriver.com.
The stillness of space
Art Alive Gallery is hosting a new show, Contours of Continuum, featuring paintings by Yashwant Deshmukh. The contemporary artist is known for his meditations on stillness of space, with his motifs looking at bridges between the material and the spiritual. Curated by Premjish Achari, the artworks look at the connections between memory, perception and intuition. “(Yashwant) Deshmukh invites viewers into a world of otherworldly serenity. In this realm, the boundaries between form and space dissolve, and objects take on a mystical significance as conduits for metaphysical exploration,” states the gallery note. At Art Alive Gallery, Delhi, till 5 April, 11am-7pm (Sundays closed).
Poking fun at everything
Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss brings his CAN'T-India Tour 2024 as part of DeadAnt Live’s new initiative ‘The Loop’. Touring India from 15-24 March, Sloss' is on what can be called India’s biggest comedy tour of all time by an international artist. Known for globally acclaimed shows like HUBRiS and X , Sloss tackles important social issues in his routines. His other claims to fame include selling out seven New York solo off-Broadway seasons, appearing on U.S TV’s Conan ten times and breaking box office records at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For his show X, Sloss delivered 300 performances continuously over 17 months across the globe. In CAN'T, the comedian gears up to discuss a range of topics, right from fatherhood to the constant chatter around ‘cancel culture’. At Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium, Sion, Mumbai, on 16 March, at 2.30pm and 7pm; at St John's College Auditorium, Bengaluru, on 17 March, at 2.30pm and 7pm; at Kala Academy, Goa, on 19 March, 7pm; at Buntara Bhavana Banquet Hall and Auditorium, Pune, on 20 March, 7pm; Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, Chennai, on 22 March, 7pm. Book tickets on Insider.
A stage for the classical arts
Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF) is all set to kick off its 16th year. Themed ‘Celebrating Harmony Through Arts’ - BIAF 2024 will feature five days of classical music and dance. The festival's curtains go up on 22 March with two splendid performances: a jugalbandi with Dr. Suma Sudhindra and Ronu Majundar and troupe and a Carnatic music performance by Abhishek Raghuram and troupe. One of the key highlights of the festival is a performance by vocalist Bhuvanesh Komkali to commemorate the birth centenary of Pandit Kumar Gandharva. Audiences can also look forward to Pratibodhana-The Awakening, a dance production by Rama Vaidyanathan and team and Silapadhikarama- a dance drama conceptualised by Lalitha Das and choreographed by Veena Murthy Vijay. The festival will conclude with a sapling plantation ceremony. At Chowdiah Memorial Hall and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru, 22-24 March and 30-31 March; 6pm onwards. Book tickets on Bookmyshow.
A vegan spread
Namu Recommends Vegan Market's Spring Edit returns for its 11th edition this weekend. Considered as Bengaluru's premier vegan market and one of the largest in the country, the spring edit promises a bounty of vegan delights, plant-based products, handcrafted creations and an abundance of springtime fun. The market's curated selection of delicious vegan food vendors includes delicious and innovative snacks from Flyberry Gourmet, crafted chocolates from Anuttama Artisanal Chocolates, farm-to-table organically grown mushrooms from Green Apron, Jus Amazin's selection of nut butters and gluten-free atta among others. Little Kingdom is hosting activities for little ones attending the market with their parents. At Jayamahal Palace Hotel, on 16-17 March, 11am to 8pm. Entry fee of Rs. 150 per head.
